Earthquake is Natural Disaster

Natural disaster is defined as the effect of nature that is hazardous and affecting human activities. Earthquake is a sudden shaking of the earth. The vibrations vary in magnitude from mild to very serious and destructive. Earthquakes by themselves are rarely disastrous. It is usually the secondary events that trigger disasters, such as building collapse, fires and tsunamis.

The exact time and place when an Earthquake will occur normally cannot be predicted. Using historical and past data, seismic agencies around the world can compile and predict earthquake within a certain period of time and over a large area.

Earthquake after-effects are normally avoidable with better building construction, safety systems, early warning and evacuation planning. We just need to be more vigilance and plan for the worse. With strong infrastructures, We also need to prepare the people so that they know what to do when tremors occur.

It is important to stay calm and not panic if you are indoor. Stay away from items made of glass or anything that can fall and hurt you. It may also be advisable to take cover under a table. Do not use a naked light just in case there is a gas leak. Do not use the lift if you are in a building. Use the staircase, instead. Evacuation is only necessary when there are visible signs of structural defects (new cracks, etc).

If you are outdoors, remain in the open until the tremors stop. Try to stay away from buildings and overhead electrical cables. Try to avoid trees as well if possible.

Once the shaking is over, check your surroundings for injured people and dangerous conditions. Turn off gas only if you smell gas. If you are trapped, try not to move too much to conserve your energy and not to kick up dust. Tap on pipe or wall or use whistle to alert rescuers or others. Shout only when it is really necessary as you need to conserve whatever energy and strength you still have. You won't know how long you have to wait before help comes around.

Experiencing natural disaster can be very stressful and depressing. Apart from handling rescue effort, it is also important to take care of the psychological aspect of the victims. Another consideration also includes the health and epidemic issues of the quake-affected areas. The effects will be felt soon if not well taken care early. These areas are normally neglected when everyone is busy with rescue and relief efforts.

Buddha Board = Zen Board?

There is a renewed interest in Buddha Board lately. So, what is Buddha Board? It is also called an aquadoodle. It is simply a special canvas board using marker filled with water. Using the water marker, you can draw whatever you like on the special canvas. The drawing will appear but fade and go away slowly leaving you with a blank canvas again.

The concept is very useful and practical both for children and adult. The children love to play with the board as it is easy to draw with water marker and the canvas will self-clean. For parents, there is no worry of cleaning up and it is very eco-friendly.

For adult, the Buddha Board can be used as an expression of art that will disappear momentarily. It is all about living in the moment. We have to live in the NOW. It is effortless for children, but as an adult we need to practice and train the NOW habit.

Life is stressful for many people. We think about the uncertain futures. We worry about what is coming along. We also regret of what happened in the past, both the near past and the far past. Letting go the mind from the past and future and keep reminding ourselves to live in present and focus on now is a good idea.

From the Buddha Board, interested people can explore further the concept of Buddhism. In actual fact, the Buddha Board was developed from Zen Buddhism. Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism. It is also called Chan in Chinese. Chan is derived from the Sanskrit Dhyana which means meditation.

Looking at the function of Buddha Board that encourages living in the present, it is very similar to the practice of meditation that also cultivates the mind with continuous awareness. Zen's emphasis is on experiential wisdom. It means we have to experience the wisdom and awakening, rather than relying on theorical knowledge and study of religious texts alone.

Most of the awakenings in Zen Buddhism happened with unpredicted twists. The enlightenment of the Zen followers happen in very simple, mundane settings and sometimes only realized long after the events have passed. It is interesting to pay attention that it can happen to anyone anytime. We just need to let your mind be ready and not have any prejudice thoughts. The same thing is also applicable when you are drawing with Buddha Board. Let your mind play along on the canvas. The realization may just appear and happen unnoticed.

I don't claim that playing with Buddha Board alone can lead to enlightenment. However, Buddha Board can be a good starting point for people who would like to start meditation or cultivating the mind with conscious awareness by watching the ever changing thoughts in the our mind.

May all sentient beings be happy.